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Situational awareness - May 9, 2018
Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City.
The LDS Church is severing ties with the Boys Scouts. Utah is running into roadblocks on the path to Medicaid expansion. Trump trashes the Iran deal. A Russian oligarch hired Trump's personal lawyer as a consultant.
Happy anniversary! One year ago today, President Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey, which led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller.
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TICK TOCK
20 days until the last day to register to vote by mail for the 2018 primary election (5/29/2018) 21 days until the last day to change your party affiliation before the primary election (5/30/2018) 27 days until primary election mail-in ballots are sent to voters (6/5/2018) 34 days until in-person early primary voting begins (6/12/2018) 41 days until the final day to register to vote online or in person before the primary election (6/19/2018) 44 days until in-person early primary voting ends (6/22/2018) 48 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018) 181 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018) 264 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019) 909 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
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HERE ARE THE STORIES DRIVING WEDNESDAY
Scouting split
The LDS Church announces they will sever ties with the Boy Scouts of America in 2020, replacing it with a new church-led program [Deseret News, Tribune (paywall), Standard-Examiner].
Medicaid problems
Utah lawmakers passed a limited Medicaid expansion this year that depends on waivers from the Trump administration. It turns out those waivers are more difficult to get than legislators anticipated [Utah Policy].
More economic good news
Utah's GDP grew at the 5th fastest rate between 2016 and 2017 [Utah Policy].
Hatch apologizes
Sen. Orrin Hatch apologizes for saying it was "ridiculous" for Sen. John McCain to bar President Trump from his funeral [Utah Policy].
OTHER UTAH HEADLINES
Utah leaders react to President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal [
Deseret News,
Associated Press,
Tribune (paywall)].
Utah restaurants can finally take down those "This is a restaurant, not a bar" signs [
Fox 13,
Tribune (paywall)].
The Salt Lake Tribune is facing staff cuts and possibly shrinking the print edition because of continuing losses in ad revenue and falling circulation numbers [
Tribune (paywall),
Deseret News].
Opponents of the medical marijuana ballot initiative claim supporters are offering money to prevent signature removal forms from being submitted [
Tribune (paywall)].
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill is lending his support to the ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis [
Deseret News].
Utah Democrats file six bills targeting gun violence for next year's legislative session [
Tribune (paywall)].
A wannabe spy managed to get a job with the Utah Department of Technology and sent sensitive documents to Russia [
Tribune (paywall)].
Salt Lake City approves a tax incentive package for a Swiss rail car maker that will bring an estimated 1,000 jobs to the city's northwest quadrant [
Deseret News].
NATIONAL HEADLINES
As expected, President Trump scraps the Iran nuclear deal. However what comes next remains to be known [
Reuters]. Iranian President Rouhani says that country is ready to restart their uranium enrichment programs, but will "wait and see how others react" [
BBC].
WOAH! President Trump's attorney Michael Cohen was hired last year as a consultant by the U.S.-based affiliate of a Russian company owned by a Russian oligarch who is on a list of Russians who have sanctioned for election interference. The money flowed through the shell company Cohen used to pay off adult film actress Stormy Daniels [
CNN ]. Cohen also received thousands of dollars from other companies, including AT&T which, at the time, was seeking government approval of their acquisition of Time Warner [
New York Times].
The GOP establishment avoids a nightmare in West Virginia. Former Coal baron Don Blankenship, who described himself as "Trumpier than Trump" was soundly defeated in the U.S. Senate primary in that state [
Washington Post].
President Donald Trump's job approval hits 42%, which is the highest point it's been in the last year [
Gallup].
Special counsel Robert Mueller's team rejects an offer from President Trump's legal advisers for Trump to submit to a written interview as part of the Russia investigation [
Politico].
The confirmation hearings for CIA nominee Gina Haspel begin in Washington on Wednesday [
The Hill].
White House aides are pushing President Trump to fire embattled EPA head Scott Pruitt [
CNN]. Pruitt reportedly fast-tracked an environmental clean-up in California after conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt brokered a meeting [
Politico].
Democratic 2020 presidential hopefuls are already hitting the campaign trail [
The Hill].
Russian hackers are reportedly posing as ISIS members to threaten U.S. military families [
Associated Press].
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
1502 - Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain on his fourth and final voyage to the New World.
1887 - Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show opens in London.
1926 - Admiral Richard E. Byrd and Floyd Bennett claim to have flown over the North Pole.
1945 - The final German Instrument of Surrender is signed at the Soviet headquarters in Berlin.
1974 - The House Judiciary Committee opens formal impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon.
1979 - The U.S. and Soviet Union reached a basic accord on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty. The agreement was signed in June but never went into effect.
Today At Utah Policy
| Weekly survey: Is Utah's citizen initiative process fair?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the 113,000 signatures needed to place a citizen's initiative on the ballot, but those same initiatives can be defeated by opponents urging signers to remove their names from the petition. Do you think the current system ... |
Policy News
Gail Miller chosen new board chair of Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare's Board of Trustees has chosen Utah business and civic leader Gail Miller as chair of the Intermountain Board. She succeeds Scott Anderson, who remains on the Board as chair emeritus and who has stepped down at the completion of his six-year term.&nb... |
New city manager on the job in Riverton
A new city manager is on the job in Riverton following a search and extensive application process. Konrad Hildebrandt, who began his administrative duties on April 30, was selected out of a pool of more than 100 applicants.... |
Sen. Lee welcomes White House rescissions package
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Tuesday after the White House sent a message to Congress, pursuant to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, requesting the rescission of more than $15 billion in federal spending.... |
Local Headlines
Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune faces layoffs, cuts to print offerings
Free to roam: Utah's first-of-its-kind 'free-range parenting' law takes effect
As felony trial looms, activists seek appeal in San Juan County gate-closing trial
Gehrke: Once again, we see ambition and politics drive decisions at the AG's office; maybe it's time for a change
Sen. Orrin Hatch apologizes for criticizing McCain over not wanting President Trump to attend his funeral
Hatch and Lee among Utah politicians lauding Trump's withdrawal from the Iran deal. Mitt Romney backs it, too.
Would-be spy landed job at Utah agency that oversees state computer systems, says he used it to find and send documents to Russia
Sim Gill, the Salt Lake County district attorney, continues to back medical marijuana: 'I'm in support of medical cannabis as an option for patients'
On first day to propose bills for next year's Utah Legislature, House Democrats take aim at gun violence
Utah medical marijuana opponents allege initiative supporters broke the law by offering money to prevent signatures from being removed
Rolly: Nonprofit group looking to celebrate the history of Utah women lands itself in partisan hot water
Deseret News
Op-ed: Count My Vote compromise better represents voters
Editorial: Teachers need better pay, but is striking the best method?
Utahns in Congress applaud Iran nuclear deal withdrawal, say U.S. needs better accord
Hatch apologizes for saying 'it's ridiculous' for McCain to request Trump not attend his funeral
Salt Lake County's top prosecutor lends support to medical marijuana initiative
Despite uncertainty with inland port, Salt Lake City approves tax increment for Swiss rail firm project
Salt Lake Tribune announces expected layoffs, other changes
Other
County increases sales tax to fund roads, public transit (Logan Herald Journal)
National Headlines
Trump declares US leaving 'horrible' Iran nuclear accord (Associated Press)
Israel Will 'Eliminate' Assad if He Continues to Let Iran Operate From Syria, Minister Warns (Haaretz)
The Trump Land Mine (National Review)
Billionaire stalls on $500M deal for LA Times, San Diego Union-Tribune (New York Post)
Farrow, the Pulitzer-winning whiz, behind #Metoo cause (AFP)
'No other religion would be made fun of in this way': Christian fury at Met Gala's 'blasphemous' Catholic theme (Daily Mail)
If the Met Gala was Islam or Jewish-themed, all hell would break loose (Daily Mail)
Blankenship suffers beatdown in West Virginia (Politico)
Eric Schneiderman's Reputation: From 'Wouldn't Get a Bawdy Joke' to Brute, Overnight (New York Times)
Haspel to pledge never to restart CIA's brutal interrogation program (Washington Post)
Drug executives express regret over opioid crisis, one tells Congress his company contributed to the epidemic (Washington Post)
Knowledge
"The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values." William S. Burroughs
Stop Talking
"Rudy Giuliani went on Fox News and revealed that Trump knew about and paid for Stormy Daniels' hush money. Even Kanye was like, "You should probably stop talking." Jimmy Fallon
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